I oppose sanctuary cities. The Constitution still protects them

Let’s start with the Constitution’s Naturalization Clause (Art. I, Sec. 8, Cl. 4), which provides Congress with the “power … To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization … throughout the United States.” Likewise, the Supreme Court has long recognized Congress’s plenary authority over immigration.

Congress has enacted a body of laws, which federal officers are charged with enforcing, addressing who should be admitted to or excluded from the country and who can be deported. These laws also impose obligations on private actors, such as employers, about measures they must take to avoid employing or harboring individuals who entered the country illegally or overstayed their welcome.